Juniors the key to success

Ipswich Rugby League clubs like Norths and West End are struggling to keep up with clubs like Fassifern, Goodna and Swifts, who have former National Rugby League player Charles Tonga (pictured scoring against Norths) in their line-up.

Rob Williams

THE club presidents of Northern Suburbs and West End must feel they are swimming against the tide.

Both watched their A grade teams miss out of the semi-finals last weekend, left behind by clubs that have used financial muscle and a long reach to attract high-quality players from outside Ipswich.

While fans have been excited by watching the standard of the top teams improve, the rest can’t keep up and it is in Reserve grade that has been shown most painfully.

Norths Reserves have conceded 76, 42, 112 and 80 points in their last four matches.

It may seem hard to fathom but when you consider former NRL player Charles Tonga was lining up for Swifts Reserves in one of those games it becomes understandable.

The investment in quality players by the cash-wielding clubs has had a trickle-down effect, with their Reserves strengthened significantly.

For clubs with few resources, poor results hit hard so numbers decline and the cycle deepens.

The answer, it seems, is to invest in juniors.

It is the great hope for both Norths and West End, while South Burnett coach Ben O’Callaghan has conceded his boys might be better off giving A grade a miss next year.

“I’m still of the belief a young side is the way to go,” West End president Chris Scott said.

“Our policy is trying to develop our juniors and build our side on that. It is no different to what Brothers have done.”

Norths recruited well last off-season, bringing in some experienced forwards and young backs.

But it didn’t go close to what Goodna, Swifts and Fassifern were able to draft on to their books.

“I think the standard of the competition is twice what it was last year,” Norths president Paul Cairns said.

“With the amount of ex-Queensland Cup players and the top three sides have an NRL experienced player in each side virtually.

“We struggle to compete on the money side of things.”

Norths are eagerly awaiting the news of whether the state Reserve grade competition, the FOGS Cup, is to continue in 2011.

If it is scrapped, they will benefit, with a number of Jets players heading back to the club ranks

Club loyalty only goes so far, however, and Cairns knows a competitive Reserve grade team, not to mention a successful A grade, could come back to money the club is in short supply of.

“A change in culture is in order,” he said.

“We don’t pay our Reserve grade players.

“We have to look at some sort of financial reimbursement.”

With an even smaller area to draw players from than Norths, West End is looking to relocate to solve the problem.

It is too soon to say where to, but the club is in discussions with Ipswich City Council.

“The area (around Basin Pocket) isn’t going to assist our juniors, and in turn our seniors, any better than it is,” Scott said.

In the meantime, he knows he has to be smarter and more aggressive signing new players.

He is loath to follow the likes of Fassifern, however, who he was critical of for bringing in an entire squad of players from as far afield as Fiji, New Zealand and Tonga.

“How many local players did they have in the side on the weekend,” he asked.

“Two. It’s supposed to be a local competition.”